Victoria bids on bankrupt motels

The City of Victoria has bid on three Traveller's Inn motels that are on sale as part of bankruptcy proceedings.

The intention is to “protect and create affordable small family housing and supported housing,” a city press release said this morning.

The motels are on Field Street, Queen Street and Gorge Road. The press release doesn't say how many units are included, nor how much the city bid.

Nor does the release make clear whether other levels of government would contribute money to the purchase. The press release says the city has been working with the Capital Regional District, B.C. Housing and the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness “to identify appropriate housing options for each site.”

A call to a spokesperson for the city was not immediately returned.

"No, we don't have any funding in the city's bid for these properties," said B.C. Housing spokesperson Sam Rainboth, adding that the provincial government agency has been providing advice to the city.

The offer, made Friday, is good until Feb. 5. Two other motels in the chain previously sold for $1.376 million and $1.9 million, the Victoria Times-Colonist reported.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.